Gov. Rosellini, with no plans to retire, celebrates his 99th birthday

He was first elected to the Legislature in 1938

KATHY MULAD, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

By KATHY MULADY, P-I REPORTER

Updated 10:00 pm, Friday, January 23, 2009

Former Gov. Albert Rosellini, lower left, is congratulated as he is presented with a birthday cake with 99 candles on it. Cheering him are, from upper left, former Gov. Mike Lowry, Gov. Chris Gregoire, and former Govs. John Spellman and Dan Evans. Right of Rosellini are former Govs. Booth Gardner and Gary Locke.
Photo: Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Former Gov. Albert Rosellini, lower left, is congratulated as he is...

Rosellini, after whom the state Route 520 Bridge is named, smiles at his 99th birthday party Friday. He credits good food, good health, keeping busy and staying active for his longevity.
Photo: Grant M. Haller/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Even in a room full of governors, past and present, Albert Rosellini stands out as "The Gov."

Rosellini celebrated his 99th birthday Friday at Il Terrazzo Carmine, the Pioneer Square restaurant where he has had lunch, sipped martinis or Chianti, and held court for years, often joined by some of the most prominent politicians and lawmakers in the state.

This time, he was surrounded by a half-dozen governors who followed him in office, from his opponent Dan Evans, to current Gov. Chris Gregoire. A Democrat, Rosellini served for eight years, from 1957 to 1965.

Rosellini walked into the Pioneer Square restaurant Friday in a suit with his trademark rose in his lapel -- it helps people remember how to pronounce his name -- and a red handkerchief in his pocket. He smiled at the pack of reporters and photographers waiting for him, comfortable in the spotlight.

Just a year shy of a century, Rosellini still stays up to the minute on current events and politics. He keeps regular office hours, and offers his opinion on most issues. He speaks softly but clearly and to the point. His business card says he's a legal consultant and a business consultant.

"A lot of people just want to come in and talk," said Rosellini, who has mentored many with political aspirations.

The recession? Well, all the governors have faced tough economic challenges, he said.

"We have to plug away and do the best we can," said Rosellini, mentioning the "Hooverville" shanties of unemployed workers that were set up in 1931 near Pioneer Square.

Rosellini watched Barack Obama's presidential inauguration this week. He said he isn't surprised that an African-American now holds the nation's top office.

"I thought I would see it someday, and I am just glad that I did," he said.

When Rosellini ran for the Legislature in the 1930s, his Italian name and Catholic upbringing were obstacles.

"The first time I ran for election, I faced a lot of prejudice. People said with my name and my religion, I was never going to make it," Rosellini said. He lost the first time he ran, but was elected on the second try.

"I broke the barrier of discrimination," he said.

Rosellini was born to Italian immigrant parents in Tacoma on Jan. 21, 1910. He helped pay for law school by working janitorial jobs. He graduated from the University of Washington with a law degree in 1933.

But it was the thick of the Depression and he couldn't get a full-time job. He worked as an on-call public defender. He was an ambitious young man, and it didn't take much for his friends, including Warren Magnuson, the eventual powerhouse U.S. senator, to talk him into running for the Legislature. He was elected in 1938.

In the state Senate, Rosellini built a reputation for getting things done and tackling sensitive issues. In 1945 he introduced a bill establishing the University of Washington medical and dental schools. He chaired a committee to study the juvenile justice system and juvenile detention centers. He also urged investigations of the state's prisons and mental health hospitals.

One of the first projects he tackled was building the bridge that had been on hold for 10 years while debates roiled over where it should be located. Rosellini was convinced that the Evergreen Point-Montlake location -- where it ended up -- was right. Eventually the span was named in his honor. He doesn't mind if tolls are eventually charged on the bridge.

"I think we should go to toll roads. It's a good way to keep up on the highways we need," he said.

Rosellini faced Dan Evans twice in brutal and bitter campaigns for the office.

"It was mortal combat," said Evans, who won election on his second try.

The men became friendly in later years.

"He is someone to look up to. He has 16 years on me," said Evans.

Answering the obligatory question about his longevity, Rosellini said it's a combination of good food, good health, keeping busy and staying active. Asked about plans to retire, he answered sharply: "Never!"

He has slowed down a bit. This was the first time he didn't drive to his birthday bash.

He blew out the 99 candles on the tiramisu cake swathed in cream and strawberries with help from the other governors as other customers joined in singing "Happy Birthday."

"You've got the fire department waiting?" Gregoire asked as the cake blazed like a small bonfire.